music (opera)
I guess you know that Chicago has a "second" opera company, Chicago Opera Theater, based at the Harris Theater in Millenium Park. Their beautiful and offbeat contemporary productions 
have been critically acclaimed widely and they've definitely hit the big time since their move downtown.
This is how we finally managed to see Nixon in China a couple of years back, an opera done rarely and enjoyed by all we spoke to.
Excitement ahead on Friday May 9th. A free COT simulcast on a giant outdoor screen of the Harris' stage production of Mozart's Don Giovanni will be offered in Millenium Park at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at 7:30 PM. 
The opera will be sung in Italian with large subtitles in English. Jane Glover conducts leading opera singers.
Check out other info on COT's small but growing website www.chicagooperatheater.org
Together, the total capacity for seats and lawn is 11,000 but based on an operatic program in the same venue last year which was a complete sellout, I'd advise an early arrival with a helium 
balloon to mark your location for friends. It's a rain or shine one-time-only event so plan ahead.
You can still buy tickets for all indoor COT Harris productions. Box office phone: 312.704.8414. The schedule:
Don Giovanni, April 30-May 11; A Flowering Tree, based on an ancient Indian folk tale by American composer John Adams, May 14-25; Orlando by Handel May 28-June 8.
all images, courtesy Chicago Opera Theater.
